Tuğ

Tuğ (Armenian: Տող Togh and Tog) is a village in the Khojavend Rayon of Azerbaijan and Hadrut Province of the Republic of Artsakh.[2]

For the Turkic horse-tail standard, see Tugh.

Tuğ / Togh Տող
Tuğ / Togh
Coordinates: 39°35′06″N 46°57′55″E
de jure Country	Azerbaijan
de jure Rayon	Khojavend
de facto Country	Artsakh
de facto Province	Hadrut Province
Elevation	800 m (2,600 ft)
Population  (2005)[1]
• Total	679
Time zone	UTC+4 (GMT +4)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+4

History

Togh and the neighbouring fortress of Ktishberd, are first mentioned in the 9th century, as the capital of the Principality of Dizak.[2] Here in 854, Esayi Abu-Muse, the Prince of Dizak, defeated a 200,000 strong Arabian army under the command of Bugha al-Kabir.

In 1737, Armenian Prince Melik Yegan built a palace here. The principality would go on to survive until the last prince, Yesayi Melik-Avanian, was killed by Ibrahim Khalil Khan in 1781, after a long-lasting resistance in the fortress of Ktishberd. Togh was a part of the Karabakh Khanate until 1822 when it was annexed by Russia and became part of the Elisabethpol Governorate.

In 1903 a hospital was built and three years later a village school was opened which today functions as a middle school.[2] A new school was built in 1978, which was renovated for the first time in 2008 by the Armenia Fund[3] There is also a house of culture, a movie theater and a library.[2]

In addition to nearby Gtichavank Monastery[2] there are nearby ruins of some churches including Stepanos Nakhavkayi Church of the 13th century.[2] The village church is named Saint Hovhannes and was built in 1736.[2] A few of the Yezanyan Meliks are buried in the yard of Saint Hovhannes Church.[2]

In March 1988, Armenian armed militia detachments were formed to defend the village from Soviet and Azeri attacks during the Nagorno-Karabakh War, and lives were lost.[2] Togh was captured by Azeri forces but was recaptured by the Armenian Army on October 30, 1991.[4] As a result of the war Azeri villages were forced to flee and many settled in Beylagan Rayon

The region is now known for wine-making.[5] Home-made wine is very common in Togh. The "Kataro Winery" of Togh was opened by the Avetissyan family in the Kataro vineyards of Artsakh in 2010.

Population

In 1921, there were 1589 Armenians living here. In 1974, there were 1,228 Armenian inhabitants in the village,[2] and in 1987 there were 1421 Armenian inhabitants.[2] Two years later, 920 Azeris and 700 Armenians were recorded. In 2005, the population was 679 Armenians.[1]

Notable Natives

• Javad Malik-Yeganov, Azeri Governor-General of Lankaran
• Aslan Mukhtarov, Azerbaijani scientist, recipient of the USSR State Prize.[6]
• Ayriev Armen Tevanovich, Armenian Hero of the Soviet Union
• Vigen S. Grigoryan, Armenian battalion commander during Nagorno-Karabakh War

References

1. Results of 2005 census of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic.
2. (in Armenian) T. Kh. Hakobyan, St. T. Melik-Bakhshyan, H. Kh. Barseghyan «Երևան» (Yerevan). Dictionary of Toponymy of Armenia and Adjacent Territories. vol. v. Yerevan, Armenia: Yerevan State University Press, 2001, pp. 117.
3. Reconstruction of Togh Village School Completed
4. NKR President: Togh Liberation Was Historically Important
5. https://hetq.am/eng/news/54717/made-in-artsakh-kataro-wine-breaks-into-armenian-and-russian-markets.html
6. Azerbaijani Soviet Encyclopedy. V. I.

• Tuğ at GEOnet Names Server